Day: February 10, 2011

Source: Tindall Corp., Spartanburg, S.C.

By Don Marsh

A land transaction and product design certification have positioned Tindall to proceed on schedule with a $60 million-plus plant dedicated to the Atlas Concrete Tower Base (CTB). An engineering innovation enabling wind farm operators to extend turbines to a 325- to 460-ft. (100- to 140-meter) height range—extracting more power than shorter structures currently operating—the CTB comprises precast concrete staves, 87 ft. long and tapering from a 14-ft. base to 3.5-ft. top width. Sized for highway or rail hauling, the pie-shaped staves form robust 10-, 12-, 14-, or 16-piece cones. Along with a post-tensioned precast concrete tube section securing turbine masts, the cones bear on a simple ring foundation that requires about one-third the concrete of a standard ground-anchored structure.

Source: Equity Partners, Easton, Md.

Building, site and sound wall panel specialist Duratek Precast Technologies has obtained bankruptcy court approval to retain Equity Partners, a specialist in investment banking for distressed companies, to help locate a suitable partner or buyer. With a payroll of 75, down from a 2009 high of 125, the company has a headquarters office and production operation in Brooksville and Bartow, Fla., respectively.

Source: Lafarge North America, Reston, Va.

Lafarge Director of Research & Development Pascal Casanova is scheduled to join Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation officials in New York City for a February 10 launch of Solid States: Changing Time for Concrete. The book assembles a diverse group of experts to examine the re-emergence of concrete at the intersection of materials science, engineering and architectural practice, and urban history and design. It coincides with what authors contend are technological developments and growing demand for natural resources that further highlight concrete’s pivotal role in transforming architecture and urbanism across the world.

Sources: Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario (RMCAO), Mississauga; Cement Association of Canada (CAC)

Timed with agencies’ increasing focus on short- and long-term construction and maintenance costs, “Methodology for the Development of Equivalent Pavement Design Matrix for Municipal Roadways” is the first reference of its kind for concrete and asphalt pavement cost comparison.

“Municipalities are seeking ways to more efficiently manage their budgets and improve the performance of their roadways,” says RMCAO President John Hull. “We felt it was imperative to undertake this study so they could have a reference document that compares equivalent concrete and pavement designs for various traffic levels and soil conditions, and determines their life-cycle cost.”

Source: Fabcon LLC, Savage, Minn.

Wains-Crete, a new precast modular base panel for use with metal buildings, suits high-traffic areas where lifts, skid-loaders and other work vehicles can damage ordinary metal walls. Fabcon is casting Wains-Crete in 8- x 10-ft. panels and partials in 2-ft. increments.

“This is the perfect solution for the building owner or contractor who wants to enhance a metal building installation by adding the perimeter protection and upgraded appearance of precast concrete,” says Fabcon V.P. of Sales & Marketing Jim Houtman. “[The] panels beat traditional masonry or block construction when you consider construction speed, thermal performance and cost to maintain.”